Although the idea of having it all done for us is appealing, getting wed actually means more than spending out on a big wedding, so a compromise is needed! If that’s the case, then doing some aspects of the wedding yourself can make the day not only more special because it has the personal touch, but also considerably cheaper! So, what exactly can be achieved the DIY way?
• Invitations: take inspiration from magazines, the internet and wedding retailers. Beautiful cards can be made from just blank cards, ribbon and access to a good printer, so research widely and explore your creative side to give it a go!
• Cake: wedding cakes are a considerable expenditure if purchased through a bakery or caterer. Recruiting a confident friend or relative could mean a beautiful cake for a fraction of the cost of a specialist version.
• Catering: along with the cake, recruiting a committee of friends and family to help cater for the wedding meal can make it very special indeed: in fact, this is a tradition for weddings in several cultures. So long as you supply the ingredients, ensure everyone knows what they are doing and plan well in advance it should be possible to cater for either a sit down or a buffet meal for guests.
• Transport: wedding car hire is something of a luxury. A clean, private hire cab from a reputable mini-cab company will cost much less and often, if they know it’s for a wedding, they have been known to dig out some ribbons too!
• Flowers and decorations: again, find all the good ideas from websites and magazines and have a go at recreating these yourself, or stick to simple ideas such as tea-light candles, table confetti and single stem flowers for simple, sophisticated decoration.